'Pinch me moment' for optometrist painted by Hockney

An optometrist and glasses-maker has become the latest subject for the world-renowned artist, David Hockney.

Jack Lupton, originally from Malvern, Worcestershire, who now works in London, was asked to sit for the artist after making him a number of pairs of glasses.

He described the experience as "pretty phenomenal" and "a pinch me moment", especially after studying Hockney for his GCSEs at Chase High School in Malvern.

The painting of Lupton has been housed at Serpentine Gallery in the capital for the David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting exhibition, which runs until 23 August.

World-renowned artist Hockney is considered one of the key figures in the 1960s Pop art movement.

He is famous for his vibrant, often sunny, depictions of Los Angeles swimming pools, portraits, and large-scale Yorkshire landscapes.

His most iconic works include A Bigger Splash (1967), Portrait of an Artist (1972), Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1971), and A Bigger Grand Canyon (1998).

Asked how the painting came to be, Lupton, who makes Hockney a pair of glasses every "few months", said: "He just asked me at the end of last year if I would consider sitting for him to paint me and I couldn't say yes quick enough.

"I sat for two days in December in his studio in London. There was music on the whole time, it was a collection of French jazz and classical, and it was just fascinating."

Lupton, who said he may be among the last 20 UK-based spectacle makers, continued: "We normally sit and have supper and have a chat, but as soon as I sat down his assistant told me it was important I didn't speak, so, of course I obliged and didn't say a word.

"Apart from the music, it is complete dead silence the whole time, he doesn't want to speak while he's painting.

"What I found really interesting was that he's 88, so he's getting on a bit, and his hand is incredibly shaky, but I noticed the closer he got to the canvass the steadier his hand becomes.

"I just think that's very powerful and beautiful."

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